Konan's Revenge
by SapphireCuatro
Summary: When Madara decides that Pein has "outlived his usefulness", Konan swears revenge. But Madara won't go down easily, and the first step is to find a weakness...and who would know more about an Uchiha's weaknesses than an Uchiha? HIATUS.
1. The Vow

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. If I did, I could just make whatever I want happen instead of writing fics. And Itachi wouldn't have died.

This is my second Naruto fic, but the first I've ever written about Konan. So please be kind to it...

* * *

Konan and Pein. Pein and Konan. These two, members of the dreaded Akatsuki, partnered together..._always_ together, ever since they were children, even though Pein hadn't been Pein then. They were two halves of a whole.

But now...her other half was gone.

She set some incense burning at his grave. Pein wasn't actually here, of course. His bodies--all of them had been _disposed_ of. She would have preferred his primary body, Yahiko's body, but _any_ body to mourn over would have been acceptable. But no. She hadn't been given _anything_.

But she wasn't going to let him be forgotten in death. She'd had a gravestone set up for him herself. It was small consolation, but at least it was something.

She sat there before his grave, remembering him, remembering the two of them, together, always together, but now...separated.

Uchiha. Uchiha Madara. He had done this. He and Pein had not seen eye-to-eye...their intentions for Akatsuki had differed...so when Pein had "outlived his usefulness", he had been disposed of. He hadn't gone down without a fight, not by a long shot, but in the end...

She wanted to whip out a kunai and slit her own throat so she could join him.

She held her head in her hands. "Pein..." She said his name softly.

_"Konan." _She could almost hear his voice. Her name, the way he'd said it...

She'd never hear his voice again.

"Pein", she growled. She couldn't even bring herself to look at his name, etched into the headstone. That would make it too...final. Pein had to be more than a name carved in stone. He had to be! He had been a real, living, breathing human being, just like her! He'd loved her! And she'd...

...loved him...

It hadn't been a big deal to the others. They'd taken Pein's death with _slightly_ less indifference than they had the deaths of their other fellow Akatsuki members, but still...

When she walked the halls of the hideout now, she was alone.

When she woke up in the morning, expecting to have someone beside her, she found...she was alone.

When she walked in Pein's office, there was no one. It was empty. He was gone. And she was alone.

"Pein!" she screamed at the gravestone, her entire body trembling, "Why did you leave me?!"

She wasn't going to cry. She _couldn't_ cry. She'd long ago run out of tears. Besides...to openly give in to your emotions was unfitting for a shinobi. Shinobi were supposed to kill their own emotions.

Well, _she_ was a shinobi, so then...what...what were these things she was feeling? Why did she feel like her own heart been wrenched out of her body? Why did it feel like a gray pallor had settled over the world? Why did she feel like slugging anyone who talked to her? Why did she feel like she couldn't even think straight because of the overwhelming turmoil raging inside of her? Why was that?

Was this what it meant...to love someone and then to lose them?

Love. It was something she'd never thought about. But now...that was clearly what she'd felt towards Pein.

But...were Akatsuki members supposed to love? And beyond that, were even _shinobi_ allowed to love?

Gently, she touched the cool stone. He wouldn't want her to be sobbing in front of him, anyway--not that she ever would. He would want her to find the strength to continue forward and do what needed to be done.

But what was it that needed to be done?

The fulfilling of Akatsuki's mission?

But, no...her heart wasn't into it now...not when Akatsuki's founder was Pein's murderer.

Who did Uchiha Madara think he was, anyway? He thought that just because he was immortal, he could strike down "God"?

That he could hurt her like this?

She wouldn't stand for it! She was going to give Madara back all the pain he had given her...times a thousand!

If she avenged Pein...then would her heart stop throbbing in pain?

She got to her feet.

So long as she was alive, she would ensure that Uchiha Madara's downfall was sealed, no matter what she had to do. No matter who she had to betray or kill. No matter if she herself died. Madara would rue the day he'd _ever _played with her heart!

And that was a promise.

Still...she'd have to play her cards carefully. She wouldn't be able to do it all alone.

_Pein...I will avenge you. _

* * *

Anyway, please review!


	2. The Search Commences

Don't worry. I've been following the manga very carefully. I'll try to take into account any information that may be revealed in upcoming chapters--since, fortunately for me, a lot about the Uchihas in general is being revealed right now.

And I think that this one'll probably stay at a friendship level--at least, on Konan's part.

Anyway, no need to worry. I always try my hardest to keep the characters...well, in character. The only character I might take any liberties with is Konan since we know hardly anything about her. But I really don't like OOC Sasukes...so I'll try my best, like I said.

No worries.

* * *

Konan was walking away. Away from Amegakure. The place of her birth. The place where she had lived most of her life. The only place that she could even remotely think of as "home".

She carried only one bag on her back. Among the things inside were her Akatsuki cloak, an Amegakure headband (with a line scratched through it), and a framed picture of her and Pein (which she had never let any of the oher Akatsuki members see, of course), and the flower she typically wore in her hair, which she'd removed with much reluctance after deciding it would make her too recognizable.

She wasn't sure if her identity was known to any of the ninja villages, but she didn't really feel like tempting fate. She was going to let nothing deter her. Shinobi, especially those from Konoha, seemed to have made a sport of picking off Akatsuki members, and she really wasn't in the mood for a fight. It would only be an unnecessary distraction.

The irony was not lost on her when she took into consideration what she was going to do. It could be said that a certain person had caused the deaths of more Akatsuki members than anyone else. The person she was setting out to look for.

As she thought about it, she realized just how difficult the task before her was. The Uchiha were ninja geniuses, and Madara was the one who had elevated the clan into the stratosphere, where they had remained (at least, in their own minds) until Itachi had caused it to come crashing down.

Of course, if Itachi was still alive, she'd ask him about the Uchiha clan and the Sharingan and Madara. But, seeing as he was among the number of Akatsuki members who were dropping like flies, she'd have to go with the next best thing. He was the only living Uchiha that she knew of other than Madara, and not just any Uchiha, but the younger brother of Itachi. Uchiha Sasuke.

Her current problem: she has absolutely no idea where to find him.

But that was only a minor setback, of course. She'd just have to be attentive, keep her ears strained to pick up on any rumors on the wind of Sasuke's location.

It would be troublesome, for sure, but what choice did she have? Picking up on...talk...was one of Konan's skills, after all.

It didn't matter where Uchiha Sasuke was hiding. She'd find him! He was going to help her, willingly or not!

Definitely.

And then...once she learned more about the Uchihas...she'd kill Madara...

Would Pein be able to rest in peace once she had avenged him?

Would she be able to be at peace?

Well...that part wasn't really relevant. She'd probably never be at peace again. Not without Pein beside her.

But...the thought that he might not be able to rest because of the horrible betrayal that had led to his death--that was a painful thought.

Of course, it occurred to her that he might not be able to rest peacefully anyway, because he'd know she was lonely. He always knew. But still. The greatest barrier was dividing them. Where he was, she couldn't reach.

At least, not right now. He was waiting for her, and eventually, she would go to join him. Then they could always be together, never to be separated again. Where they would go, even Madara wouldn't be able to rip them apart. Never again.

But not yet. They'd have to remain apart just a little while longer.

She would find Uchiha Sasuke!

She walked away from Amegakure, the place of her birth, the place where she'd lived, the place that most resembled "home".

She only looked back once.

* * *

Ok. I suppose you could say that "nothing really happened", and I do apologize for that. But the first two chapters are like the "introductory chapters", I guess, and basically elaborate on the summary. They were necessary.

But starting with the next chapter, we'll cover some new ground. Like, when Konan actually starts _looking_ for Sasuke. I'll try not to have her take too long, because finding him is only part of the story, and I myself would get bored if the search dragged on and on.

Anyway, please review and continue following this story.


	3. Being Normal?

Ahem. Well. Here's Chapter 3. Anyway, thank you all for your lovely reviews, faves, story alert, etc.

I'm going to continue with this fic, naturally. I always try to see everything through to the end. But something worries me. I know Madara is supposed to be the main antagonist of this fic. But I read Naruto 399 on Friday, and it makes Madara sound like he's not such a bad guy after all! So that got me really worried. I was like, "Oh, what if I got him all wrong?"

Something tells me he wasn't lying to Sasuke. But just because you think something's the truth doesn't mean it is. So I'm going to take everything that guy says with a grain of salt. Until another character confirms it, I'm just going to assume it's some paranoid dude's rambling. Because he seems eerily obsessive to me, even if his intentions are good.

It won't change this fic, though, I don't think. I still think the guy's crazy, and he'll dispose of anybody who he no longer has use for. I'm just mostly concerned that people who read this might flame me and go, "No, you've got it all wrong, that's not how Madara is, who don't you go read the manga you moron?" Because I've seen things like that written in other fics.

You all wouldn't do that to me, would you?

* * *

Konan stopped for the night in a small village.

She checked into an inn. Money was no problem at all. If she ran low, she could always get some more. Still, there was no need to let it burn through her pocket. She had no idea how long she'd be on the move, so it was best to take precautions so she wouldn't be left in a bad way financially.

She couldn't quite describe it, but she was feeling...strange. Men whom she passed by, they were looking at her, but that wasn't quite what was the matter--men in Amegakure had looked at her, as well. Perhaps it was...well...the looks in their eyes had been different. In Amegakure, she'd been a figure to be respected and feared. A person who could summon the wrath of "God" if anyone even looked at her wrong.

But these people she was seeing...how was it they were looking at her? The women gave her disapproving, jealous looks and the men, what about them...? What was in their eyes?

Konan knew, but she couldn't get her brain to wrap around that thought. It couldn't be that. No one would ever look at her like that. No one but Pein. They wouldn't dare. If anyone had looked at her like that in Amegakure, Pein would have killed them...if she hadn't gotten to them first.

But this was not the right time or place for that. Killing people would attract too much attention, and she wanted to remain discreet as long as possible. She was supposed to be an ordinary woman. Ordinary women didn't kill guys who were checking them out, right?

So she sucked it up, cringing under those gazes.

She felt naked, not wearing her cloak. How naive had she been? How could she have left Amegakure wearing something form-fitting and not have anticipated that this would happen?

It wasn't like she never wore clothes that accentuated her feminine figure. It was just that not everyone could see.

She couldn't quite decide why exactly she was so uncomfortable. It wasn't that she wasn't feminine or anything. She was aware of her gender and not at all ashamed of it. She was a wanted criminal, true, and part of an organization that was overwhelmed with testosterone, also true (although, in her opinion, some of her fellow Akatsuki members were even girlier than her). But it wasn't like they were trying to catch her eye or anything. In Akatsuki, she might as well have had a giant sign over her head that said, "Already taken. So don't even think about it or you die." Thus, she'd never really had to worry about things like that.

But that wasn't the case now. Not at all. Did men eyeball all women like that? What did women do about it?

This was downright embarrassing. How long had it been since she'd been out in the field?

Had she really been elevated so high alongside "God" that she'd forgotten how to interact with the people below her?

But she needed to find Uchiha Sasuke, and she had no idea where to start looking. Someone had to know where he was, or if not that, at least have heard of him. But the only way to find out was to ask. And how did you get information? Forceful interrogation wouldn't be the best solution in this particular situation. There were too many people and things could easily get out of control.

Ok...other than forceful interrogation, how did you get information? Just...sit and listen and hope you heard something good? But she didn't have that kind of time. And these were just random, ordinary people, so they probably wouldn't be talking about Uchiha Sasuke in casual conversation. So...it appeared that, under the circumstances, she'd have to take the initiative.

All right...so...did a facade of friendliness get people to lower their guard and spill stuff they didn't intend to? Was that what it took?

And...since she was indeed female...to find out about Sasuke...should she use...feminine wiles?

Ugh. The thought was utterly repulsive.

But, she was supposed to be an ordinary woman, and that's what ordinary women did to get attention, right? Use their gender to their advantage?

Well...as revolting as it was to resort to such tactics...for Pein, she'd do it.

But where was a good place to start? And who would be her first victim--er, target--um, informant?

It would have to be...someone who seemed wise to the ways of the world...someone who seemed like he might have a vast reservoir of knowledge...and at the same time, was unusually receptive to a woman's wiles, someone with no immunity to feminine charm...

Why did Jiraiya come to mind?

She actually was paying attention to the people around her now. She assessed the men, but none of them seemed quite right for her purposes. If she wanted this demeaning thing she was going to do to actually pay off, she had to test out her charms on exactly the right man, and he didn't seem to be present in this tiny village.

She was beginning to think that testing the effectiveness of being female in regards to the other gender was not a good approach. But then, the next day, she was pretty sure she'd found a good guy to use try her charms on.

* * *

Anyway, there's Chapter 3. I'm sorry it's not longer, but...I don't know. I just can't write long chapters very easily anymore. I always assume people don't like reading really long chapters.


	4. Konan's Charm

I feel very fortunate. I've written eight stories, and on every single one, I've always attracted very polite reviewers. There are some who are just a waste of space, but mine have always been very polite and respectful, even when they're making suggestions for the fic. I don't know how I got off so lucky, but I'm very grateful. Maybe it's my writing style or something...

Anyway...when I write chapters, I just write until I feel like the chapter is over. Whether it turns out long or short is irrelevant. This one was a bit longer (though it's probably not noticeable), and I try to update frequently.

And about Madara...it's not like I was planning on making him some sociopath in the first place. One thing I like about Naruto is how the villains are done--none of them are your standard evil guy (no redeeming qualities). You can sympathize with them (except Orochimaru--he's the only villain that I really can't stand). So no worries there, either. I'll do my best with his character.

* * *

He was a middle-aged guy. All he'd done was stop to eat at a noodle shop.

Why did Konan decide this man was the perfect target? He appeared to be just an ordinary guy. Nothing about him made him stand out in particular. Nothing, except that his clothes were travel-worn and he carried a pack on his back. Clearly, like Konan, he was just passing through. So clearly, like Konan, he was a bit more worldly than the locals. This guy, Konan decided, was more likely than anyone to have knowledge about Uchiha Sasuke--or, if not about him, then at least about someone who would lead her to him.

She might not get another opportunity like this.

She went into the noodle shop. He didn't give any sign that he'd noticed her. She sat down on a stool next to his. Now he noticed her.

"Can I help you?" asked the lady behind the counter.

"Er..." Crap. What was the next step? If Konan didn't order anything, it would look suspicious. So she ordered a bowl, even though she wasn't particularly hungry.

She started on the noodles, working out her next move. What, what was she to do?! What did women do to get the attention of men?!

She decided to go for a hair flick, but accidentally elbowed the guy instead.

"Oh. I'm terribly sorry", she said, not sounding very sorry at all.

He looked at her fully for the first time. She met his gaze, expressionless, and it seemed to unnerve him.

_No. Wait. Girls are emotional, right? Very emotional. I must be emotional. _

_How do I be emotional? _

"Are you wounded?" She tried to sound worried, but it came out more like a threat.

"No. I'm fine. Really. Don't worry about it."

This wasn't going well. "Oh, well...it wasn't intentional. Just so you're aware." It seemed very important to make that clear.

"I don't doubt it. You don't seem like a malicious young lady."

_Wow, you're pretty stupid_. "I truly am sorry. It's just that, I've been traveling and I've become terribly clumsy from lack of sleep." _Conjure sympathy, right? That works, right? _

"A young woman, traveling alone? That seems unsafe."

"I can handle myself", Konan replied. _Dammit. I'm supposed to be emotional. So why does the tone of my voice remain the same no matter what words come out of my mouth? _

"Where do you come from?" asked the man.

_None of your business_. "The Land of Rain."

"Oh, really? Where are you going?"

_What's your interest in me? Do you have a death wish or something? _"I don't know."

He looked confused. But she had his attention.

"As you probably know", said Konan, "The Land of Rain is a wartorn nation. It only recently became stabilized. But things are still bad there. I was orphaned in one of the wars. The only person left to me is my..." She stopped abruptly. "I shouldn't burden you with all this." _I need a moment to think up the rest of the story._

"Oh, I don't mind. Please, continue."

"Well, the only person left to me is my cousin Sasuke. He's the last relative I have living, to my knowledge. But I have no knowledge of any places outside the Land of Rain. I've set out to find my cousin, but he lives in the Land of Fire, and I'm not quite sure I can find the way. I'm so terribly afraid I'll get there and I won't be able to find him. What if I never find him?"

"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll find him. What did you say your name was again?"

"Ko..." _I shouldn't use my actual name_. "Komaki."

"Ah. And what did you say your cousin's name was again?"

"Sasuke."

They met each other's eyes. He had a strange, suspicious look on his face, and she dared him to challenge her. Making up a sob story had been completely degrading in of itself. After she'd stooped to such a low level, she was not going to have this guy doubting her.

"I see. Sasuke. How interesting."

Her disgust at herself was being replaced by shivers of excitement. _He knows something. He recognizes that name._ She wanted to pry the information out of him then and there, but she restrained herself. _Patience. I'm on a hot trail here. For Pein...I must be patient. _

"And you said he's from the Land of Fire?"

"That's right." _This guy...he can't be trusted. As soon as he tells me something useful, I may kill him. _

"Well", said the man, "I'm quite familiar with the Land of Fire. In fact, that happens to be my destination. Maybe I can help you find your cousin, since we're headed in the same direction anyway."

_What's this guy up to?_ "Oh, would you really help me? Thank you so much."

"It's no trouble. Tell me, do you know what your cousin looks like?"

_Um, no, not exactly. I've never actually seen the brat. But since he's Itachi's brother, he probably looks a lot like Itachi. _

"Black hair", Konan said, "Dark eyes." _Should I mention the Sharingan? Nah, probably not._ "Um..." She couldn't think of any more descriptions without getting into details, and she was reluctant to reveal that the person she was asking after was an Uchiha.

"That's rather vague, don't you think? Anything else? Does Sasuke...dress in a certain way?"

_How should I know? I've never met him_. "I don't know."

"What does he do for a living?"

_He's a ninja_. "I'm not sure."

"How tall?"

_What kind of question is that? Let's see...he's Itachi's brother, so I'll just say he's the same height as Itachi..._

"About...maybe around five foot eight?"

"How old is he? Is he younger than you?"

"Yes. He's younger." _Hold on. How much younger than Itachi was Sasuke? I have no idea. We'll say Sasuke's sixteen. Yeah. That sounds about right. _

"Sixteen, perhaps?"

"Oh, I see. I ask these things because I'm also familiar with someone named Sasuke. Does your cousin have an older brother?"

"I don't see how that's relevant. I've already told you that all of my other relatives are dead."

"Yes. Yes, you did. You said you were from the Land of Rain, right?"

"That's right."

"But were you born there?"

Something clicked suddenly in Konan's mind. _He knows. He knows exactly who I'm asking for. He knows Uchiha Sasuke. And since I said Sasuke's my cousin...don't tell me...this man thinks I'm an Uchiha as well? What a moron. _

Her face didn't betray anything. "How would I know where I was born? No one can remember their own birth."

"Well, that doesn't matter", said the man, "The good thing, Miss Komaki, is that I'm pretty sure I can help you."

The faintest trace of a smile passed over Konan's lips.

_Yes. I'm sure you can._

* * *

Ok. Calm down. I understand that some of you are probably thinking "WTF?! This is way too easy!" Just chill. Things aren't always as they seem.


	5. Use or be Used

Thank you all so much for your reviews and for sticking with me!

All right, then. For those of you who read my message at the bottom of Chapter 4 and _didn't _get disgusted because you thought what happened last chapter was unusually convenient, here's Chapter 5. It's a little shorter, but...sorry.

* * *

"Stick with me, Miss Komaki, and I'll show you the way to the Land of Fire", said the man.

The two of them left the small village together, their packs hoisted on their backs. "Miss Komaki", for her part, didn't want to stick with him any longer than she possibly had to.

_There's no "maybe" about it. I'm definitely going to kill this guy. _

"So", said Konan, "You know someone named Sasuke, as well?"

"Yes."

"What makes you think we're talking about the same person?"

"Sasuke isn't that common of a name. Besides...the way you describe your cousin, I think we are looking for the same person."

"Oh, all right. That would be weird if it was the same person, though." _Why's this guy looking for a teenage boy? Is he a pervert or something? _

"It would be weird, wouldn't it?"

"Thank you for helping me. You didn't have to." _I'm on to you..._

"Oh, I'm not different from anyone else, I'm sure. Who wouldn't help a girl in need?"

_Whatever. The "chivalry" makes me want to kill you right now. _

"So where in the Land of Fire are we going to go?" she asked.

"Oh, you don't need to worry about that."

_Um, yes I do, or I wouldn't ask._ "Forgive me. To question someone who was kind enough to help me..."

"It's perfectly all right. It's understandable. I don't mind helping you, Miss Komaki...not at all."

She looked at him with deep distrust. _Just try and pull something on me. I dare you. _

...

It was very late at night. Everything was quiet. The door opened. A figure crept into the room. They silently went over to the bed. But there was no one under the covers...!

"Looking for me?" asked Konan, stepping out of the shadows.

Her companion whirled around. "You...!"

"Oh. Hello. Lovely night, isn't it? The perfect night for..._betrayal_." Her eyes flicked over to him, and he flinched.

"You...you're not any ordinary woman."

"That's rude. I'm just as ordinary as the next woman." _And I was trying so hard earlier, too!_

"I knew there was something strange about you from the beginning. You...are a ninja of Amegakure, aren't you?"

"That's a pretty good assessment", Konan replied, "But you're still woefully ignorant. I'm not just a ninja of Amegakure..." She gestured towards the hitai-ate she'd tied around her forehead, drawing the man's attention to the line scratched through the symbol.

"A rogue ninja?"

She ignored him. "Again, your ignorance is amusing. But now that I know you have information on Uchiha Sasuke, I no longer have any use for you. Just as, clearly, you were willing to drop your facade for Komaki just now."

"Heh...so...I was planning to betray you...and you've beaten me to it. You are indeed a clever girl. So you, too, are after the gifts of the Uchiha bloodline?"

"The Sharingan? No. I could care less about that." _The only way it's of use to me is if it helps me kill Madara. _

"What? Why else would you be seeking out an Uchiha?"

"You know", said Konan, "I almost feel sorry for the Uchihas. The only reason anyone cares about them at all is on account of the Sharingan. They must get a complex." She looked at him. "I can't believe you would betray someone who needed your help on account of the Sharingan. That's despicable behavior."

"How so? For a rogue ninja, you're pretty naive. There are only two kinds of people in the world, girl. There are people who are used and people who use others. That's all. You have to be one or the other, sometimes both."

_'You've outlived your usefulness'._

Her eyes were filled with deep hatred and disgust. "You're the one who's naive. Tools can't think, can't feel, can't hate, can't love. Human beings can. There's more to people than just being tools. Otherwise...what's the point in all of these amazing capabilities we've been given?" She narrowed her eyes. "One of my special talents is origami. I've always been very good at it. Even though you don't deserve it...I'll give you a beautiful show. By the time it's over, you'll have a wonderful appreciation for the potential of human talent."

...

Konan set out to continue her quest the next morning...alone. Her hitai-ate had been safely put back in her pack, out of sight.

_"Why does...the truth of the world...bother you so much?" the man asked, once Konan had given him an initial display of her talents. _

_"It's not the truth", she replied, "It cannot be the truth." Then she finished the show. _

She had rummaged through his things later and taken certain things that she thought could prove useful to her.

_It can't be the truth...because that's the logic that murdered Pein. _

* * *

No, the guy was not there to provide a life philosophy for the story.

I mentioned that Konan got some stuff from him that could be useful to her. I'll elaborate more on that next chapter.


	6. Severed Bonds

Thank you all for your reviews! Sorry for the delayed update. Here's Chapter 6.

* * *

Konan rummaged through the man's things. _Let's see exactly how much that guy knew…_

The first item up for investigation was a folder with "Uchiha Itachi" printed on it.

Naturally, this aroused her curiosity, and she opened it.

The first thing that came to her attention was a photograph, attached with a paper clip to some papers.

The person in the photograph was a young man. He had dark hair and dark eyes. He wore the hitai-ate of Konoha.

Konan blinked.

She looked at the photo again. Then she realized who this person was that she was looking at.

This was Itachi. Now that she paid more attention, she could definitely tell it was him. It was the same face. But this Itachi was much younger-looking. This Itachi had normal, onyx-colored eyes instead of the red of the Sharingan. The hitai-ate of this Itachi had no line scratched through it. This picture must have been taken some years ago, before Itachi had left Konoha.

Konan was completely fascinated. There had never been any Uchiha Itachi to her other than the one she'd always known. To her, Itachi had always been her comrade, her fellow Akatsuki member. That there had been any Uchiha Itachi at all before Akatsuki…such a thought had never even occurred to her! That there had been any previous existence known as "Uchiha Itachi", that this person had led a life previously…it seemed like such an astonishing revelation. Who was this boy in this picture, this person called Uchiha Itachi? Who was this person whose existence she had never even considered?

Another folder was labeled "Uchiha Sasuke". She opened it. She was greeted with another photograph of a dark-haired, dark-eyed boy. Of another young shinobi of Konoha.

So. This second boy was Uchiha Sasuke. She'd set out on this quest knowing nothing about the person she was searching for, not even what he looked like. Now, at last, she knew. She couldn't explain it, but she somehow felt like she'd reached the end of another, separate journey. She was looking at the face of this mysterious person, Uchiha Sasuke, the shadowy existence that was Itachi's younger brother. Here was tangible proof that this person really did exist. Uchiha Sasuke was real. A real existence. Her efforts weren't for nothing. He was a real person, and this was what he looked like. This was Uchiha Sasuke.

He really did look a lot like Itachi. She could see the family resemblance. These two boys were brothers. Brothers of the Uchiha bloodline.

She knew before that Itachi had a little brother. His reputation had preceded him. Uchiha Itachi. The prodigy of the Uchiha clan…and their destroyer. An entire family, _his_ family…he'd butchered them all. It was a thing she'd known about, but hadn't given much thought to. It was hard to garner sympathy for people you never knew, people you couldn't put a face to. But now… "Itachi's brother" had a face. Itachi's brother had an identity. He was as real a person as she was. This was the one who had been spared, and who would kill the brother who had slaughtered their family. This boy had killed Itachi.

But…that seemed a bit ironic to Konan. Itachi had killed members of his own family. The hurt and betrayal and desire for vengeance Sasuke would feel after that was understandable, but…in getting his revenge…Sasuke would be guilty of the same crime he wanted to kill Itachi for. It didn't matter what crimes Itachi had committed…he was still Sasuke's brother, right? Still of the same blood. They were connected by a bond of blood, an unbreakable chain that shackled them together.

Family bonds held no real significance for her. Sure, she had had them once, but it had been so long…

But with these two, that wasn't the case. They were brothers. They were part of a family. And if that was the case, then they had a father and a mother, obviously. What did their parents look like? Did they have dark hair and dark eyes, like their sons? And the Sharingan? Was it really worth much thought, since they were dead anyway? Dead at the hands of their own son…there had to be some explanation for that. Normal boys did not go up in arms against their own family. There must have been something wrong with the Uchiha clan. Something that would lead to one of their own killing them all.

But if Itachi could have done something like that, then was it an indication that Sasuke, his brother, was capable of the same kind of ruthlessness? Just what sort of person was she dealing with here?

Just what sort of person _was_ this Uchiha Sasuke?

She knew nothing about what sort of bond they had shared before Itachi had done what he did. The two could have been estranged long before then. But still. They _were _brothers. They shared a bond with each other. And they'd shared a bond with their parents, as well, and with the other members of the Uchiha clan. A bond was supposed to be special, right? Bonds were what connected human beings to one another, right? And the bond between family members were one of the tightest and most sacred of bonds. To break that sort of bond…what sort of person did that take?

In one night, Itachi had broken those bonds.

Those special bonds between clan members had been severed. And…the special bond between her and Pein…_that_ had been severed, too. By an Uchiha.

What sort of people were the Uchihas, that they could so easily disregard their own emotions--as well as the emotions of others--to sever "bonds", that were supposed to be cherished and held dearly?

She didn't know Sasuke, but she _did_ know he was an Uchiha, and therefore he couldn't be trusted. Even if he _did_ agree to help her, she'd have to sleep with one eye open. Under no circumstances could an Uchiha be trusted. In fact, it would probably be better for both of them if she just got what useful information she could out of him and then parted ways as quickly as possible. And of course, since she was an Akatsuki member, like his despised older brother Itachi, then he was certain to regard her with the same sort of wariness. Of course…only if he _knew_ she was an Akatsuki member. In fact, it might be better if he didn't know. If he knew her…_affiliations_, he might refuse to even help her at all. And she really didn't have the patience to try and weasel some information out of some little punk kid. Not only was there his cooperation to consider, but also the Sharingan. She didn't particularly want it used against her.

And thus, when dealing with such a person as an Uchiha, who could turn on her in an instant, extreme caution had to be used. He'd pulled off a revenge against someone who had made him feel the pain of brutally severed bonds. And she was seeking revenge for the exact same reason.

So. Even without knowing him, she had something in common with Uchiha Sasuke.

Maybe she could use it to her advantage to form an alliance.

But of course, she was planning as thought she'd already found him. _Find_ Uchiha Sasuke. Right. That was the first priority.

She read through Sasuke's file, but it was outdated. He was last known to be with Orochimaru, it said. Well, gee, _that_ was helpful. Even she knew that was no longer the case. Obviously not, if Sasuke had killed Itachi. In fact, Itachi's file stated that he was still alive.

_How useless. That guy was up to something and I would have had to take care of him eventually, but I'd hoped there would have been some benefit! How annoying. _

She closed the two files. _What is with this Uchiha Sasuke kid? Am I going to have to keep wandering around and hope I bump into him? There must be someone who knows him personally, someone who has some idea of where to find him! What do I have to do, go to Konohagakure to get information on this boy? _

She was thoughtful. _Actually…that could be a possibility. Sasuke is a rogue ninja from Konoha. They're sure to monitor his movements…especially when, as far as they're concerned, he is the last surviving member of the Uchiha clan…I'm sure they wouldn't want to let the Sharingan slip through their fingers. Surely there's someone…I mean, I don't have to know a specific location, even knowing a general area will be sufficient for me to find him. Surely Konohagakure has some information in that regard. _

_Surely. _

* * *

If Sasuke and his team are going to Konohagakure, then I might be able to implement that into this story...we'll have to see.


	7. untitled

Sorry about the delay.

It occurred to me that I had sort of a different style for the last chaper. I didn't realize until recently.

Anyway, I think it's safe to say that the story will start drifting away from the manga.

* * *

**K**onohagakure.

Konan was fast approaching it. She could see its walls from here.

Security at the gates would probably be tight. Not that she really cared. It wouldn't be any trouble for her.

Still, she didn't want to cause a scene when there were a bunch of ninja around. That wasn't wise. As far as she knew, no one from Konohagakure knew her identity who was still alive to tell about it. Those fools didn't know she was an Akatsuki member. And since she wasn't dressed like one, she shouldn't run into any trouble, right? She looked like an ordinary female. So all that was left to do was act the part. If everything went right, she would give them no reason to suspect her.

This village was her best bet. That was what she had concluded. If she couldn't find anything of use _here_, she never would. She could find out about Sasuke's recent movements…or, if she was super lucky, he might even be lingering around Konoha. It was his home village. He was considered an S-rank criminal. There were bound to be some hard feelings. Sasuke had gotten revenge once, so he probably wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

Where was the right place to go? Who would have the right knowledge?

It required careful consideration. This werent' just ordinary morons she was dealing with. These were Konoha ninja. Did she, a lone kunoichi, really have the nerve to infiltrate one of the major ninja villages all alone?

Well, the answer was obvious.

So. What was the easiest way to get inside? Could she just walk through the gates? Or would she have to sneak in some other way? How had people in the past infiltrated Konoha?

She thought back. Itachi and Kisame had gotten in this village before. And before that, Orochimaru. How had they gone about it?

Perhaps, for her purposes, it was better to ignore Orochimaru's example, since he had had help. But what about Itachi and Kisame? That was a few years ago, back before Konoha was really concerned about the Akatsuki. But nonetheless, if Uchiha Itachi, an S-rank criminal, dressed in full Akatsuki attire, could infiltrate his home village, then that didn't say much for security. In Konan's opinion, she should have no problem at all getting in…

…right?

What was this…a small glimmer of doubt?! Second thoughts?! What the hell was up with that?!

No. To know how to defeat Uchiha Madara, she needed to seek help from Uchiha Sasuke. And she needed to defeat Uchiha Madara to get vengeance for Pein! Was this really all the resolve she had? How pathetic! That she would even consider turning back…it was too late for such nonsense!

_I swore that even if my own life was taken in the process, I would avenge you, Pein. I _will_ abide by that vow…if it's the last thing I do…! _

_So. There's nothing left to do then, but to move forward. Konohagakure's no great obstacle, so what is there to fear? Shinobi do not fear. So…there's nothing left to do but go forward! _

Konan continued towards Konoha. _This should be no problem at all. _

* * *

Sorry for the shortness. I just didn't want Konan to appear in Konoha all of a sudden. This could be called a transition chapter, I guess.


	8. Konohagakure

This story is off hiatus and will start being updated again.

Sorry. I probably should have mentioned that it was on hiatus in the first place. But I got kind of stuck. I wasn't sure where I was going with this. But I've figured things out, so the updates should be more reasonable now.

Oh, and this first chapter after the hiatus is special. Up until this point, Konan was the only canon character to appear in person, but that changes here.

* * *

All right. She was in. So that meant everything was all good, right?

Wrong.

For Konan, Konohagakure was a bit..._overwhelming_. It was such a large village, and where was the best place to start if she wanted information?

If Sasuke was a typical S-rank criminal, then he was probably rather detested here, in his home village. She couldn't just ask about him outright or people would get suspicious.

She just had to find a good place to settle down…gather information…there were other ways to gather information than just asking outright, after all.

Let's see…what sort of people would Uchiha Sasuke have been associated with before he fled Konoha? Obviously not the sort of people he kept company with now, or he would never have left. But they were certainly fellow shinobi. After all, the Uchihas were an elite shinobi family with a unique kekkei genkai.

She couldn't tell the caliber of Konoha's shinobi, but she had heard they were pretty strong. And the people of Konoha did whatever they wanted, it seemed. If they had a "god", then it was the Hokage. Their current Hokage was a kunoichi named Tsunade, one of the Sannin, a former teammate of Jiraiya.

No, there was no doubt that the Hokage ruled Konoha! Their faces loomed over the entire village. The stone eyes looked down on her. There was no fooling _them_ that she didn't belong.

It was amazing the revealing things people said just in casual conversation. Subtly, as she walked the streets, little pieces of paper would go coursing in the wind.

What a huge and vibrant village Konoha was!

"Hey! Do you need help?"

Huh?! Oh…oh crap! Surely the person couldn't be addressing _her_?! Damn, she'd been caught already?! She'd underestimated Konoha's ninja!

A blonde boy approached her. "You look lost! Are you looking for something?"

How should she approach this? Play dumb or be honest?

"I'm not from Konohagakure. I don't really know my way around." _Might as well tell the truth now so I don't slip up later and jeopardize the mission…_

"Oh, really? Where are you from?"

"The Land of Rain." _Tell me about Uchiha Sasuke. _

"Oh, so you've been traveling for a while."

"Yes."

"Well then, you found the right person! The name's Uzumaki Naruto! What's yours?"

"Komaki." _The Jinchuuriki boy! Time and again, he's interfered with our activities! The container for Kyuubi…Itachi died before he had a chance to capture him…_

She may have hit the jackpot straight off!

"Nice to meet you. So, what do you think of Konoha?"

"It is…a nice village. Very peaceful." _Which was all Pein ever wanted for Amegakure…and me too…it was the same for me…_

"Yeah, it is, isn't it?"

_How strange. Konoha's Jinchuuriki is so…cheerful and confident. _

"Well, come on, I'll show you around. If you're going to come to Konoha, there's some places you've gotta see!"

"Oh…ok…" said Konan. _What a perfect opportunity to get more information. _

Uzumaki Naruto brought her to various tourist locations in Konoha, and she quietly accompanied him. When they were looking out at the stone faces of the Hokage, past and present, however, Konan heard a bizarre noise.

Naruto clutched his stomach and shuffled his feet, embarrassed. "Heh…sorry about that…I guess I'm hungry."

"That…that was your stomach?!" She couldn't help her surprise. Then she said, "Please allow me to treat you. As thanks for the tour."

"Really? Well, if you insist. But if we're going to go somewhere to eat, we should go to the best restaurant in Konoha!"

…

"You won't get better food anywhere, huh?" As Naruto set aside his third bowl, he said, "Hey, what's wrong? You haven't touched your ramen."

"Huh? Oh, sorry." She had to conclude now that this bowl of ramen was really no more than it appeared to be…a bowl of ramen. Everything about this situation---sneaking around in an enemy village---told her that this food had to be poisoned or something. But it didn't seem to be…

She took a bite. "This is quite good."

"Isn't it?"

_That little Jinchuuriki…he knows I don't belong…I'll bet he figured out my identity from the very beginning, and he's just toying with me…but I'm not stupid! I've got you all figured out, Jinchuuriki brat…this ramen may be just ramen, but you're feeding it to me because you want to lull me into a false sense of security. And then, as soon as I have my guard lowered, you'll strike! You cannot deceive me…I'll go along with you for now and feign ignorance…but I'm ready for you…_

She looked over at the conniving Kyuubi container.

"Get another one ready for me!" said Naruto. He was reaching the bottom of his fourth bowl.

Then again, maybe he really was just an idiot…

Konan began working on her own ramen. "We don't have ramen like this where I come from." _I don't really eat much ramen anyway, but…_

"See, what'd I tell you?" Naruto put his fourth bowl aside.

_Damn…I said I'd treat, but all my money is going down this kid's throat! __But wait…since I'm being stingy, does that mean I'm becoming…a second Kakuzu?! _

Just the thought of that was quite repulsive.

"You certainly have a good appetite", she said, "You eat so much, and so fast. You're going to make yourself sick."

"Oh, you don't need to worry. I always eat like this!"

_No way! _"Maybe that's why you're so healthy."

He looked at her quizzically and finished slurping the noodles he'd been putting in his mouth.

_Did that sound strange? _"It's all right. I didn't mean that in a weird way or anything. I was just saying that it's good for a shinobi to be in top condition."

"You talk like _you're _a shinobi."

Konan was horrified. What a disastrous slip of the tongue! "Of course I'm not. There is a ninja village in the Land of Rain, true, but if I was a shinobi, don't you think you'd know?" _Not just a shinobi…your worst enemy. _

"Well, maybe…but I don't know. As long as you're not going to attack Konoha, I guess it doesn't matter."

_If that's all you're concerned about, then put your fears to rest. I'm not here to cause trouble for Konoha today. _

When Konan finished her third bowl, Naruto said, "Wow, you eat a lot."

"I do not. Just look at how much _you've_ eaten. Is this because I'm a woman? One bowl won't fill anyone up, you know." _Actually, some of the other Akatsukis have told me I eat a lot as well, but…_

"I didn't say it was a bad thing. It's just that a lot of girls are worried about diets and stuff."

"Hmph. Diets are completely moronic." _If you're a real woman, you can just kill someone who insults your weight._ "But you really shouldn't talk to a woman about such things. Weight is a forbidden subject with females. Being female myself, that's the advice I have for you if you want to pick up girls."

"Well, I already figured out that stuff", said Naruto, "But I didn't know _all_ girls were so sensitive."

"We're merely vain creatures. Girls like to look nice." She didn't mention that in every Akatsuki hideout, she had her own personal bathroom, each with a different color scheme. Some things were better left unsaid.

"Well, yeah, I know that. I'm not that dumb. I just don't understand it, is all."

"We act that way because of men. And because of the opinions of other women. Everyone is so superficial that they care merely about appearances and their own preconceptions. But outward beauty doesn't help you much in the long run, I think. Beauty won't stay the hand of death." _I've outlived plenty of good-looking people._

"You're kind of…morbid", said Naruto.

"Death is the one battle that every person will lose", said Konan, "Everyone dies. Everyone." _Even you, Madara, who is supposedly immortal. _"Since it is an eventuality, I don't see why we should be bothered by it. Death can steal someone away at the most unexpected moments. Death itself is not scary, I think, but the emotions it instills in us in its wake are what's truly scary. Loneliness. Sadness. And…depending on the circumstances of the death in question…maybe even the desire for vengeance."

She delivered this in her usual monotone.

"Hey, what's the matter? You're trembling", said Naruto.

_What?!_ Konan looked at her hands, and saw how they had betrayed her. _No! I can't give myself away! Not now! _She stopped trembling, but it was too late. _No…a shinobi is never supposed to betray their emotions…I'm a failure as a shinobi…_

_Why? This has never happened before. I have never before let personal feelings interfere with my mission…I've never before _had_ personal feelings about a mission! Why now? _She gave Naruto a dark look. _It's something about this kid. Damn brat! _

"Hey, you don't have to glare at me. You don't have to tell me about it if you don't want to. It's not any of my business."

"You're damn right it's not!!" she snarled viciously, then controlled herself. _What's wrong with me? Lashing out without even thinking…being controlled by emotion instead of reason…how can I call myself an Akatsuki member? Why did I act that way just now…? _The loneliness and misery she'd felt at Pein's death were returning to her now, at the worst possible moment! _No! Somehow, just a passing mention…I can't even bear to remember it without losing myself? I'm not reasonable right now, here, in enemy territory…I have to get away from here! To go any further when I can't think logically is only endangering both myself and the mission! _

She threw the money she owed for the meal on the counter and ran out of Ichiraku.

Naruto blinked. "Was it something I said?"

…

Konan leaned against the side of a building, trying to catch her breath. How far had she gone?

She played it over again in her mind, ever since she'd met Uzumaki Naruto, and she grew increasingly more angry as she saw her own weakness and folly, glaringly obvious in her memory. Dammit! And it had been going so well, too! She seriously doubted that the Jinchuuriki would know anything about Uchiha Sasuke, but still, maybe he knew someone who knew him, or _something_! Damn, and she'd been so close to getting some answers out of that kid! Why else had she brought up the subject of death, and revenge? To lead into the subject of Sasuke! Why had that conversation caused the suppressed emotions to flare up again? She didn't understand!

_I've seen so many deaths in my lifetime. A lot of them were at the hands of me and my comrades. I never felt anything. I've killed and killed again, and never felt a thing about it one way or another. You cannot be a shinobi and go crying over every casualty. It's a kill or be killed world. The strong kill the weak. I know that, but…with that logic Pein's murder is justified. Is murder pure murder no matter what? _

_But, then that means that all shinobi have bought themselves one-way tickets to hell. But, in spite of that…aw, forget this philosophical crap! Who cares if I'm going to heaven or hell or any place in between? I need to be entirely focused and have iron resolve. If all shinobi are going to hell, then at least Pein and I will be there together…and Madara had better hope I don't find Sasuke for quite a while, because he's going to have one hell of a time down there with all of his enemies…not just Pein and me, but all of the Akatsuki members he's used as pawns for his ambitions…and all of his enemies from Konoha…they'll be lining up to get a piece of him…_

_Madara…_I'll_ be the one to send you to hell! But I'm getting distracted. Focus. My first attempt to get information from the Jinchuuriki failed. But I'm more aware of myself now. Even if he _is_ a Jinchuuriki, he's still a boy, right? And boys have this chivalry complex when it comes to women. As soon as they spot a woman in distress, they want to go and kill the bad guy who upset her. I've been around enough males to understand this. Most of the time it's quite obnoxious, and I do what I want anyway regardless of whether anyone wants to 'protect me from danger' or some such idiocy…_

…_except for Pein. He was the only one I would allow to protect me. _

_But anyway! Maybe I can manipulate the Jinchuuriki's male mind. I may have failed this time, but you can't get rid of me that easily! I'll have to come up with another plan. _

During this whole mental battle, she remained by the side of the building, one hand touching it as she leaned against it, while she stared out into space. Now, she hoisted her pack higher up onto her back. The slightest hint of a smile crossed her features before quickly fading away and hiding behind her usual unreadable appearance. It wasn't so much a smile of joy as it was one of twisted pleasure from knowing that your opponent might just walk into a checkmate.

* * *

Konan really is a woman who's better at action than talk.

And even though Naruto isn't my favorite character, by a lot, somehow he got the honor of being the second canon character to appear. At first it was going to be one of the kunoichi, but I figured they might be more suspicious of Konan.

Anyway, thanks for sticking with me! Hopefully this story won't go on another hiatus!


End file.
